Drawbar roller



Aug. 2, 1960 Filed April 22, 1959 W. G. REIMERS DRAWBAR ROLLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 36 :l E1 //4 /44 46 E? ZO/ii M vrs f8 l l E! 1 l l LII ,6 4 48 0 INVENTOR Fig.3 W//l/am 6. Re/mers WW 19mm Aug- 2, 1960 w. G. REIMERs 2,947,551

DRAWBAR ROLLER 'Filed Aprn 22. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WIW/'am G. Re/mers INVENTOR.

Y WW 5M@ vexemplifies the invention.

United States Patent Gfice l, 2,947,551 Patented Aug. 2, 1960 DRAWBAR ROLLER William G. Reimers, Wimbledon, N. Dak.

. (Star Route, Jamestown, N. Dak.)

. Filed Apr. 22, 1959, Ser. No. v808,205

Claims. (Cl. 280-499) This invention relates to drawbars and more particularly to an improved drawbar which is capable of' facilitating movement of the tongue of the drawbar between its limits of travel.

An object of the invention is to provide a drawbar assembly wherein the tongue thereof has established for it a rolling support so that when the tongue is defiected to the'left or the right the movement is facilitated.

`A further object of the invention is to provide an improved drawbar assembly wherein the tongue has a Vpair of rollers on opposite sides thereof, the rollers held captive between a frame that is Von the drawbar tongue and adapted to roll from side to side onthe lower plate of the drawbar assembly.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of constructionand operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which: M

Figure l is a fragmentary rear perspective view of a tractor showing principally the improved drawbar assembly. i

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure -3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken approximately on the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the roller carriage for the drawbar tongue.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated a fragmentary part of a conventional tractor 10. The tractor is equipped with a drawbar structure 12 which The drawbar structure has an upper drawbar plate 14, a lower drawbar plate 16, and means holding the plates 14 and 16 spaced from each other and essentially parallel to each other. These means consist of a pair of stops 18 and 20, each of which is identical. These stops have sleeves 22 and 24 mounted on spindles 26 and 28, for instance bolts, and the bolts are attached to the upper and lower plates 14 and 16. Sleeves 22 and 24 are held captive between the plates and thereby function not only as stops but also as spacers for the plates.

The plates have a plurality of apertures 30 therein by which to couple various devices thereto. Lower plate 16 is suspended beneath upper plate 14, but it is clearly evident that the plates may be exchanged, i.e., plate 16 may be mounted above plate 14. In either case, plate 14 is welded, bolted or otherwise held rigid to frame members 34 of the tractor so that it is held in fixed position with reference to the tractor.

The drawbar tongue 36 is made of an elongate flat bar 38 having a conventional coupling 40 at its outer end.

The inner end (not shown) of the drawbar tongue is mounted for swinging movement by being connected with a vertical pivot in the tractor structure, the mounting of the drawbar tongue being conventional insofar as this particular is concerned.

The invention provides a carriage 44 which may be termed a roller carriage since it has a pair of identical rollers 46 and 48 constituting a part thereof. The carriage has a pair of carriage plates 50 and 52 each of which is approximately rectangular with an upwardly opening notch 54 and 56 respectively which forms a nest within which to receive the elongate drawbar tongue 3,6, When the drawbar tongue is disposed in the nestl formed by the'notches 54 and 56 the carriage 44 must move with the drawbar tongue as it is swung from the left or the right. p'

Roller 46 is made of a spindle 60 having one end welded as at 62 to the `plate 52 and the other end provided with a reduced threaded shank 64. Washer 66 has a central opening large enough to fit over spindle 60 and fit flush against the inner surface of carriage plate 52. Sleeve 68 is mounted-for rotation on spindle 60 and has a Washer 70 at the end thereof opposite to the end occupied by the washer 66. The reduced threaded end 64 extends through an aperture 74 in carriage plate 50 and has an exterior washer 76 together with a nut 78 thereon to hold the roller 46 assembled between the carriage plates 52 and 50. Roller 48 is constructed in a manner identical to the construction of the roller 46, and each roller has a lubrication applying means associated therewith. The lubrication applying means 80 for roller 46 consists of an laxially extending passage 82 along the` center line of spindle 60 and provided with a grease fitting 84 at the outer extremity thereof. The grease fitting is preferably a Zirk fitting and since the extremity of spindle 60 is accessible from the front face of carriage plate 52, grease under pressure may be applied to passage 82 by way of grease fitting 84. A lateral part 86 of passage 82 opens in exposure to the inside surface of sleeve 68 to lubricate the confronting surfaces of spindle 60 and sleeve 68. By virtue of this construction the sleeves of each roller 46 and 48 are free turning.

In use, the tongue 36 is moved left and right in normal operation of the drawbar structure. As it. moves carriage 44 slides axially along the tongue 36 or the carriage may be made fixed with the tongue. In either case the rollers 46 and 48 reduce the friction between tongue 36 and the upper and lower plates of the drawbar since the rollers are capable of easily rolling on lower plate 16. The left and right limits for movement of the drawbar tongue are established by rollers 46 and 48 contacting the two stops 18 and 20 at the two ends of the drawbar plates 14 and 16.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A drawbar assembly comprising the combination of an upper plate, a lower plate, a pair of stops between said plates adjacent to the ends thereof, a drawbar tongue extending through the space between said upper and lower plates, a carriage carried by said tongue and having a pair of rollers in said space, said rollers contacting at least one of said plates to establish a rolling support for the tongue as it moves in said space between said upper and lower plates, said carriage including a 3 forward -carriage plate 'and a rearward carriage plate, said 'rllrs 'extending between said carriage plates, said carriage plates having notches therein, and said drawbar occupying said notches.

2. A drawbar assembly comprising the combination of anuppe'r plate, a lower plate, a pair of stops between said plates adjacent to the ends thereof, a drawbartongue extending through the space between said upper and lower plates, a carriage carried by said tongue and having a pairpof rollers in said space, said rollers c ontacting at least one of said plates to establish a rolling support for the tongue as it moves in said space between said upper and lower plates, said carriage including a forward carriage plate and a rearward carriage plate, said rollers extending between said carriage plates, said carriage plates having notches therein, and said drawbar occupying said notches, each roller provided with lubrication means, said lubrication means including a passage in each roller, and a grease fitting by which to apply grease under pressure into said passage.

3. A drawbar assembly comprising the combination of an upper plate, a lower plate, a pair of stops between said plates adjacent to the ends thereof, a drawbar tongue extending through the space between said upper and lower plates, a carriage carried by said tongue and having a pair of rollers in said space, said rollers contacting at least one of said plates to establish a rolling support for the tongue as it moves in said space between said upper `and lower plates, said carriage including a forward carriage lplate and a rearward carriage plate, said rollers extending between said carriage plates, said carriage plates having notches therein, and said drawbar occupying said notches, each roller of said carriage including an outer sleeve, an inner spindle attached to said carriage plates, said sleeve mounted for rotation on said spindles.

V4. A drawbar assembly comprising the combination of an upper plate, a lower plate, a pair of stops between said plates adjacent to the ends thereof, a drawbar tongue `extending through the space between said upper and lower plates, a carriage carried by said tongue and having a pair of rollers in said space, said rollers contacting at least one of said plates to establish a rolling support for the tongue as it moves in said space between said upper and lower plates, said carriage including a forward carriage plate and a rearward carriage plate, said rollers extending between said carriage plates, said carriage plates having notches therein, and said drawbar occupying said notches, each roller of said carriage including an outer sleeve, an innerlspindle attached to said carriage plates, said sleeve` niont'ed for rotation on said spindles, lubrication means 'associated with each roller and including a passageway in each spindle, a grease iitting connected with `each passageway to apply grease under pressure into said passageway, and said passageways opening in registry between. the surfaces of said sleeves and the surfaces ofsaid spindles.

5. A drawbar `assernbly comprising the combination of an upper plate, a lower plate, a pair of stops between said plates adjacent to the ends thereof, a drawbar tongue extending through the space between said upper and lower plates, a carriageVV carried by'saidl tongue and having a pair of rollers` in said space, said rollers contacting at least one of said plates to establish a rolling support for the tongue as it moves in said space between said upper and lower plates, said carriage including a l'forward carriage plate and a rearward carriage plate, `said rollers extendingV between' said carriage plates, said carriage plates having notches therein, andsaid drawbar occupying said notches, said carriage plates being spaced from each other a distance greater than the longitudinal depth of said upper and lower plates whereby said carriage may assume an angular position relative to said upper and lower plates.

References Cited in the le of this lpatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,337,521 Lauer Apr. 20, 1920 1,438,831 Jones Dec. 12, 1922 1,701,107 Hamilton Feb. 5, 1929 1,771,937 Pettit July 29, 1930 2,224,091 vauance Dec. 3, 1940 2,462,726 Currie Feb. '22, 1949 2,788,221 Pritchard Apr. 9,1957 

